The Los Angeles Lakers need a long-term solution at the center spot, and someone like Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren would be a great option for that position. So, when a Lakers fan came across Holmgren at All-Star Weekend, he asked the Thunder star to join the team, but he made it crystal clear he’s happy where he is.
“Nah, I like where I’m at,” Holmgren said.
Fan: “You might as well come on over to the Lake Show.”
Chet: “Nah, I like where I’m at.”
(via @SkyedOKC, h/t @Fullcourtpass)pic.twitter.com/1qO406erCW
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 20, 2026
As long as one is fine living in Oklahoma, the Thunder are definitely the team to be on. They are, of course, the defending champions and will be contenders for a fairly long time.
While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams are the Thunder’s two best players, Holmgren, the second pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, is also a big reason why they are so good. The 23-year-old is one of the finest defenders in the NBA and continues to grow offensively.
Holmgren, who became an All-Star for the first time in 2026, is currently averaging 17.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.5 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game in 2025-26 while shooting 55.9% from the field. He has been the anchor for a Thunder team that sits atop the standings in the West with a 43-14 record.
With their three big guns being relatively young (Gilgeous-Alexander is the oldest at 27) and with a bazillion draft picks at their disposal, the Thunder aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. The Lakers are unlikely to cause them too many problems this season, but they might in the future. They will have a lot of cap space in the summer, along with three tradeable first-round draft picks.
If the Lakers can put together the right roster around Luka Doncic, he is capable of taking down this Thunder juggernaut. Of course, their last playoff series defeat came at his hands in the 2024 Western Conference Semifinals when he was with the Dallas Mavericks.
To go with Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks had two fine bigs in Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II, along with a host of good wing defenders. Can the Lakers put together a similar roster around the Slovenian in the summer? Time will tell.
